August Almost

I left the house just after 05:30 this morning, collected Stewart at home and headed to Charlton Mires. There is a small but deliberate pond in fields north west of the main Alnwick/Seahouses junction off the A1.

I have permission to access the fields here and we decided to check this out this morning.
An excellent half an hour or so; Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 14 Ruff, Lapwing, Teal Grey Wagtail and over 40 Pied Wagtails.

After this brief sojourn inland we headed back to the coast, the sanctuary of my patch. A walk down the main track to check bushes and large reed beds around the Old Water Pools.

The early morning sun was warming favorable elevations, bushes and bank sides. Warblers were obvious, good numbers of Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler and Chiff Chaff. Tits, Linnet, and noisy groups of Greenfinch and Goldfinch were also noted. Really good to observe Reed and Sedge Warblers like this.

Various Phyloscopus

A wander back to the Picnic Site, Tea first and some excellent chocolate brownies made by my daughter Sophy. 

Plenty of birds around, definite migration happening with Swallows and House Martins passing through constantly, small groups of Siskin also. It was all brown, yellow leaves ripening berries and brambles. 

Wall

A nice Redstart was picked out on the sunny side of a patch of car park bushes.

Redstart

 Out on the estuary we set our scopes up at absolute low tide, waders were well spread. Two Black Tailed Godwit were of interest.

A lovely warm and golden morning   

Stonechat and Whinchat from earlier in the week